


The Meaning of Freedom

by Khoraz



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bondage, F/M, M/F Sex, Mental Health Issues, Ralph has Twitchy Fingers, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-19 14:16:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15511668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khoraz/pseuds/Khoraz
Summary: You work for the ASCP (Android Social Care Program), set up to help androids struggling under the weight of their new-found independence. Your first case involves a WR600 model named Ralph - a tragic figure in great need of help and support that you hope you can offer.Ralph will stretch your abilities to the limit. You knew that his past would be a difficult one as told by the scar on his face, but you're determined not to give up on him. Every android deserves a chance, especially those as flawed and broken as Ralph. Maybe he just needs the right person...





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter will mostly be my setting the scene for the world after Markus’s peaceful rebellion. The plot will move on properly in the next instalment, so please stay tuned! Please drop me a comment to tell me what you think. This will be a slow burn story and your encouragement keeps me going. Thank you!
> 
> Ralph needs all the love in the world, so this is for him and his scarred little heart.

Markus’s peaceful protests and subsequent victory for android rights had changed everything. All across America both humans were confronted with the uncomfortable truth that machines weren’t as simple as zeros and ones in lines of programming; that they could very well be another kind of sentient life with hopes and dreams. Meanwhile androids, once docile and obedient, were suddenly facing a life of infinite possibilities. For most androids this was a good thing; they were given the freedom to explore their own interests and broaden their horizons, do whatever they wanted to do and go wherever they wanted go… but there were always exceptions, especially when change was so sudden.

  
Some androids struggled to grasp the freedom that had been thrust upon them. They emerged from their programming, blinking like newborn babies into a world that was suddenly so vast and open, that they hadn’t the faintest idea of what to do with themselves. For some it was a simple matter of giving themselves time to decide and time to adjust, but others reacted badly to being so abruptly cut from their programmed restrictions.

  
It was for those androids that the ASCP was created – the Android Social Care Programme. Made as a splinter group of similar human services, workers would visit struggling androids to try and coax them into a more stable world view. Some were depressed over a life that they thought they had lost, others angry over memories of servitude that they couldn’t move past. Whatever the case, it was the job of ASCP workers to make the transition from machine to person as smoothly as possible.

  
You were one such worker. Before the android laws had come into effect determining them to possess (almost) equal rights to humans, you had worked in a more general social care setting. Struggling single parents, alcoholics, drug addicts, mental health sufferers – you’d seen it all in your line of work. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing someone rise up from the pit of despair into the person that they could be; a selflessness and genuine desire to help others made you an excellent social worker, and when the opportunity came to join the premier branch of ASCP in Detroit you had leapt at the chance.

  
You, like many, had followed the android protests from outside states and were swayed by what you saw. You wanted to help the androids who had struggled for so long to achieve what humans took for granted, and the thrill shocked your system when the letter detailing your official employment dropped through your letter box. You had to pack up your old life and move to where it all began – Detroit.

  
You had found a modest apartment in the Ravendale district. It was nothing fancy; an open-plan living room and kitchen area, with a small bedroom and bathroom off a tiny corridor. Not that you needed much luxury since you didn’t plan on spending too long in your home. The ASCP would operate from the Detroit Police precinct until a more permanent location was decided upon, which made the location all the more convenient. It was barely a ten-minute drive away, and your heart hammered wildly against your chest in anticipation of your first day.

  
Despite your best efforts, you hadn’t slept well that night. Nervous excitement kept you awake like a bubble that refused to burst, and by the time you had drifted off there were barely three hours left before the alarm woke up at 7.30am.

  
With a groan you rolled over and blindly struck out at the high-pitched beeping until it quietened down, before pushing yourself upout of bed to face your grogginess head-on. A shower and caffeine were definitely needed for you to be in any fit state to be seen in public; followed by a quick hairbrush and a dab of casual makeup, you deemed yourself ready to head out into the chilly Detroit air.

  
You hugged your jacket close around your shoulders in an attempt to keep the cold air from reaching your skin, but there wasn’t much you could do against the snow without an umbrella.

  
_Mental note: buy and umbrella._

  
Your car was parked close by however, so you didn’t have to face the elements for long before settling into the automatic vehicle and inputting your destination. The drive gave you some time to read up a little on what information you had in relation to the fledgling ASCP. As a budding organisation everything was still very much in the air, but already a few names had filtered through the system to pop up in your work emails.

  
Many androids on the list were former Eden Club employees, and you couldn’t blame them for struggling to come to terms with the sudden sense of freedom. Remembering years of sexual servitude would impact anybody, whether they were human or android, and your lips thinned at the idea of so many individuals being so lost. Still, that was why you were here.

  
An image caught your attention as you were flicking through the files, and your thumb paused to let you get a closer look. The android’s face told a sad story, with a deep gash running down his left cheek that left frayed wires exposed, thirium pumping bright and blue against the mended material. What could have caused something so horrific? It was certainly no accident, judging by the severity of the injury.

  
You inspected the file more closely. Ralph, his name was – a WR600 model who used to work in maintaining the Detroit gardens. He had become deviant long before Markus’s rebellion had begun and had found refuge inside an abandoned house not too far from your apartment block. The cause of his injuries wasn’t specified, but foul play by anti-android demonstrators was the prime suspect.

  
A grimace crossed your features, and you glanced up towards the nearby window to see that the car had turned onto the main street, large blue letters announcing the DPD coming into view. With a small sigh you slid your phone into your back pocket and switched the car into manual mode in order to find a convenient parking space – you liked to choose your own spot for reasons that were beyond you.

  
Once you’d pulled up you took a moment to inspect your appearance in the fold-down mirror. The white shirt was neatly pressed, navy blue blazer without a crease, and the matching blue pants complimented the professional look perfectly. You were ready. Best foot forward, break a leg, all those positive sayings…  
“Good morning.” You announced yourself as you stepped inside, dusting snow off your hair with a smile towards the receptionist. “My name’s Y/N, here with the ASCP?”

  
The woman behind the desk smiled and tilted her head slightly, LED flickering yellow as she processed the information. The fact that she was an android didn’t have you batting an eye – you wouldn’t be in the right profession if it did. “Oh, yes. You’ve been assigned an office space on the second floor, room number 20-A. If you’ll go through the glass doors, the elevator’s on the right.”

  
“Thanks very much.” You started to walk away when the receptionist called out again.

  
“Miss! Your ID badge, you’ll need it to get through security.” She laughed quietly as you hurried back, a slight red tint to your cheeks.

  
“Oh, right. Sorry.”

  
“Not at all, please let me know if you need anything else.”

  
You made your way through the sliding doors and looked around at the large open space, smiling at the bustling work environment. It seemed so alive, and the atmosphere was infectious. A few people nodded politely as they passed, and you found that you couldn’t quite stop smiling as you made your way to the elevators.

  
You made sure to clock the coffee machine on your way. That was a vital piece of information.

  
You examined your ID badge as you waited for the elevator to reach you, idly wasting time before a light bing alerted you of its arrival. You straightened up slightly and stepped inside, hitting the next floor up and making your way to the office.

  
It was a little quieter upstairs as the bulk of detective work occurred below, but then you could hardly expect to be working alongside the police. Confidentiality and all. Room 20-A caught your eye and you scanned your card on the reader. The door beeped, and you stepped inside.

  
It was a spacious, simple affair. Two large windows were situated at the far wall which gave a good view of the DPD front; a sleek white desk was in front of them, facing the door, already set up with a computer and several files in a cardboard box. Someone had brought them up in anticipation of your arrival, and you smiled as you sat down behind the desk. There would need to be some personal touches, but you’d get to that as time went on.

  
For the moment you busied yourself with unpacking your bag of work essentials. An old-fashioned notebook and pen (you liked paper, whatever), your own files that you’d brought on the emergence of the ASCP, and a small cactus that your previous colleagues had given you as a going-away gift. You smiled fondly at it for a moment, before settling down for work.

  
The majority of the day was spent filing various papers away in some semblance of a working order. Android cases alphabetically, protocol notes in a separate drawer. You managed to figure out how to get yourself signed onto the computer system, which made going through virtual files a lot easier than using your phone. It was largely up to your own discretion where you chose to focus – one of the perks of working for an organisation just getting off the ground – and so you returned your attention to the file that had caught your eye in the car.

  
Ralph was, in many ways, a textbook case… and yet so different in others.

  
What little information there was suggested elements of PTSD, most likely resulting from whatever trauma had caused the facial injury. Depression, anxiety, a deep distrust of outsider (humans in particular), and an inability to adapt to life as the laws of society changed around him.

  
He was still living in the abandoned house, largely because the DPD didn’t know what to do with him. The house in question had no traceable owner, and Ralph had committed no crimes in his time there, which meant that the police seemed happy to leave him well alone. You furrowed your brow and made a few notes in your paper pad.

  
_Distrust may make case difficult._

_Potential for violence? Police backup?_

Having an armed unit with you would give more security, but it would also increase stress on Ralph’s part. You would check what the standard protocol was when dealing with potentially dangerous social cases before heading out to see what you could do for the android.

A glance at the clock on the monitor told you that it was just past noon. The perfect time for lunch, and you could mingle a little downstairs at the same time… once that was done it would be back to Ravendale, and to the abandoned house.

Hopefully your first case would go well.


	2. Case #1 Ralph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You reach the abandoned house and make first contact with the scarred android inside. Ralph is, understandably, suspicious of your appearance and thus begins your fist challenge.
> 
> Getting inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter, left kudos or gave a comment. It means a lot to see that people are enjoying my words.
> 
> Here's chapter two, and your first glimpse at Ralph~

Lunch was a little awkward at the police station. Apparently, news had yet to circulate that the ASCP had sent an agent to work on the upper floor, which led to a lot of curious looks from officers in search of their lunchtime dose of caffeine. You hovered in the corner so as not to interfere with any police business, lips slightly pursed as you pondered what the best course of action would be – it was a poor ( _very_ poor) idea to visit a potentially violent android without any support, but was it appropriate for you to ask the Captain? Fowler, as you learned his name was, would doubtlessly have a lot on his plate already…

You decided to ask one of the officers seated at their desks – preferably one who didn’t look too busy. With a firm nod you carried your coffee out into the main area and scanned the desks. A larger figure caught your eye with greying hair and a springy moustache, seated at his desk and casually skimming through a magazine. He looked friendly enough. As you approached you caught a glimpse at the name badge and smiled pleasantly, clearing your throat to announce yourself.

“Excuse me, Detective Collins?”

The man glanced up from the magazine, eyebrows raised.

“Sorry to bother you, my name’s Y/N with the ASCP? I have an office upstairs, but I don’t think anyone knows about me yet.”

“Oh… Oh! The social care thing, yeah. I remember hearing about someone coming into the DPD… you must have crept in this morning, huh?” He chuckled and leaned back in his chair, more focused on you now that he was aware of your position. “Don’t worry about the ‘Collins’ – Ben’ll do.”

“Thanks, um, Ben.” His positive attitude was infectious, and you relaxed slightly. “I was about to head out on my first case, but I thought I should check with you guys first. What’s the protocol with visiting potentially violent androids?”

“Good thinking. Yeah, you’ll need someone to go with you… you’ll probably need to ask Fowler…”

You both glanced towards the glass walls of the central office, and you flinched slightly as the Captain was in the process of wildly gesticulating; his annoyance was obvious even from a distance, and you didn’t feel overly positive about interrupting his tirade. Thankfully Ben had the same idea, and he laughed at the expression on your face.

“Ah, don’t worry. I’ll fill in a report for you, but I’ll need details on the android you’re visiting…”

And that was how you and Detective Collins drove to the abandoned house in Ravendale, using your self-drive car for the sake of convenience – and in your experience, clients didn’t tend to react well to the blaring of police sirens.

“Here it is… can’t believe it hasn’t been demolished yet.” Ben commented as he stepped out of the vehicle.

“As far as I know the city can’t find the legal owner, and with Ralph occupying it… it makes the situation a bit tricky.” Relations between humans and androids were still in the fledgling stages. It wouldn’t help matters if the city council was seen evicting a clearly in-need android onto the streets.

You approached the front of the house, looking towards the boarded-up windows. A flicker of movement crossed through the light emitting from inside; Ralph had seen you, but that was fine. You weren’t trying to hide.

With a brief glance behind you to ensure that Ben was nearby, you stepped up to the front door and knocked firmly. The wood creaked slightly beneath your knuckles and it wouldn’t have surprised you if it had simply fallen in. How old was this place?

“Hello? I saw you in the window, could I please talk to you?” You spoke loud enough for your voice to carry inside, but predictably there was no answer from inside. The noise of something moving reached your ears, so the android had to have been close enough to hear. Rather than pushing through the front door you decided to stay outside and speak through the wood. “I’m Y/N, I work with android social care…”

Again there was no response, so you continued.

“I’m here to try and help you – it can’t be very nice to live in this house by yourself, right?”

There was a shuffling from inside, and this time a voice filtered through the door. It was softer than you’d expected, quick-paced and feverish. “R-Ralph has always been here – yes – ever since the humans chased him away. Ralph is, is fine here. It’s private and quiet.”

Your brow furrowed slightly and you jotted down a few notes in your pad.

_Repetitive, stuttered speech. Result of trauma?_

“It’s nice to meet you, Ralph. I don’t want to spoil your quiet place, but I would really appreciate it if we could have a talk?”

“Ralph is talking now. You’re talking now. Humans shouldn’t come here – no, no – humans hurt Ralph. You’ve come to hurt him, to push him outside.”

“No, I promise that isn’t why I’m here… but if you don’t want me to come inside, then we can talk like this for now?”

There was a long pause, and you could imagine the android inside mulling over your suggestion. The file hadn’t been very descriptive in terms of Ralph’s history, but it didn’t take much experience in social care to tell you that this was a very damaged individual. With such trust issues, it would be difficult to move Ralph at all… but everyone deserved a proper chance at life; perhaps androids especially so.

“Ralph… will listen, if you stay there. No, no moving or forcing or pushing.”

You smiled and nodded, though of course the android couldn’t see.

“Thank you, Ralph. I appreciate this… could I ask you a few questions?”

You glanced back at Ben, who looked somewhat incredulous at the conversation going on between a closed door. Still, he didn’t speak to antagonise the situation. He leaned against a nearby lamppost with folded his arms, paying enough attention to you that he would be able to intervene if need be. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to.

“Questions, questions. Yes, go on. But Ralph might not answer.”

You inwardly chuckled. It was oddly charming, the way he referred to himself in the third-person.

“The main thing that I’d like to check is that you’re physically alright… are your systems working normally?” No doubt some of your colleagues would go through the motions with androids, not truly caring for their wellbeing, but your voice was a genuine one.

“Ralph is… Ralph is fine. Ralph doesn’t want anyone poking or prodding inside him. Ralph sometimes needs to t-temporarily shut himself down, b-but it’s like sleeping. Humans sleep all the time, so Ralph is fine.”

You frowned slightly and added an additional note: _Some physical instability in his systems?_

“It must be frightening to need to shut down like that. What if I could arrange for an android maintenance worker to come and see you? Maybe see if you need something fixing?”

“No! N-No one inside!” The response was almost immediate, tight and fearful. A bang reached your ears from inside, and Ben straightened up slightly at the sound. You lifted your hand to indicate that you didn’t need help just yet.

“Okay Ralph, okay. No one inside…” You glanced sideways at the windows once again, noticing that the gaps between the boards were big enough for you to see inside. “What if we went to the windows? I could see you, and you could see me… but you’d be safe inside?”

There was another long pause, and the shuffling of feet.

“Ralph… will do that.”

You walked to the window and bent down slightly, just enough to look inside. For a while all you could see was the dusty interior of the house, until suddenly a face appeared to stare out at you with unblinking eyes. It was years of experience that kept you from flinching, and you placed a careful smile onto your features as both you and Ralph took a few moments to survey each other.

His hair was a dark blonde in colour, framing an angular, pale face. The LED blinked a brilliant yellow in the dim interior light, and one brown eye scanned your body with an intensity that you hadn’t quite expected. You had done your best to not let your gaze linger on the most obvious physical trait on Ralph’s face; the deep, jagged scar ran from his hairline and across his cheek to end at the corner of his mouth. It looked old, and bright blue sparks flickered within as thirium pumped through his veins. It must have been terrifying, whatever had happened to him. 

“Hi, Ralph.” You offered, tilting your head to one side.

“R-Ralph hasn’t seen a h-human in, in a long time. Whenever they come here, Ralph hides… but no one has come in a few weeks…” He seemed to be studying you closely, and you gave him the time he needed to come to some kind of conclusion. “Ralph doesn’t t-trust humans. He doesn’t trust you either.”

“That’s okay, I don’t expect you to trust me when we’ve just met… do you know anything about social care?” Ralph shook his head in a jerked movement, his fingers fidgeting and entwining together as you continued. “Well, I’m here to try and help you. You’ve been living inside this house for a long time, and I’d like to see if I could improve your living conditions a little? Maybe make you feel a bit better, too…”

Ralph frowned, looking suspiciously towards you with that one brown eye. The other optic was a dark blue-black that buzzed faintly whenever it moved. You weren’t sure whether or not it still worked. “H-Humans don’t care about Ralph. Humans only want to hurt him… Why are you pretending? What do you want?”

“I’m not pretending, I promise.”

“Then why is that man with you?” His head jerked almost violently towards Ben, who frowned and took a step forward. “Ralph sees him w-with the gun. Are you g-going to shoot Ralph if he says no? Going to force him out?”

Shit.

“No, that’s not why he’s here.” You were quick to speak up. “I have to bring someone with me during first visits to make sure that I’m safe.”

“Safe? Safe. You’re worried about being safe with Ralph?” He frowned and shook his head quickly. “Ralph n-never hurt anyone… unless they tried t-to hurt him first. Ralph is good. Good, good.”

You smiled gently and nodded. “I’m sure you are good, Ralph, but I needed to be sure first.”

“Sure. Ralph understands.”

Good. This was slow, but steady progress.

“If we’re both sure that you won’t hurt me… what could I do to convince you that I’m not going to hurt you?”

Ralph lowered his gaze to his hands which continued to twitch. “Ralph doesn’t know. Ralph doesn’t like humans at all – he doesn’t like you, doesn’t know you.” He shook his head again. “He’s afraid that you’re lying.”

“… What if you let me into the house, without the officer behind me? You’ve scanned me – you know I don’t have any weapons, so you’d be perfectly safe.”  
Again, Ralph studied you closely. Possibly performing another scan to make doubly-sure that what you were saying was true. He then glanced back to Ben, then towards you.

“… Just, just you. No one else. Just you.”

You nodded, then watched as Ralph walked out of sight from the window. There was a sound of shifting wood from the other side of the door, and Ralph called out from inside, “Open now. You come inside.”

Ben stepped closer and you turned to him with a small shake of the head. “I’m sorry, Ben. I know that this probably flies in the face of protocol, but I know what I’m doing.” It looked as if Ben might have wanted to argue, but you didn’t give him an opportunity to do so before you walked towards the door, slowly turning the knob and pushing it open.

“I’m stepping inside now, Ralph.”


	3. First Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You catch your first glimpse of Ralph's world. The house is dark and depressing, but there is a glimmer of something brighter in there that you're determined to see free.
> 
> Ralph is surprised by your unflinching support.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three! Thanks again to you all for reading and (hopefully) enjoying the story so far ^^
> 
> Please comment if you love Ralph. Because Ralph needs more love.

The interior of the house was what you might expected from a dilapidated building. Dust and debris littered the wooden floor, crunching quietly beneath your feet as you slowly stepped inside. Various colourful graffiti slogans decorated the peeling wallpaper, and at the far end of the living space was an old fireplace filled with burnt-out ash and scrunched up paper. A plastic crate nearby was filled with wooden beams, which you guessed were used as fuel for the fire. The only furniture in the room was a square wooden table and three rickety chairs; a staircase led up to your right, and an entrance to what you guessed was the kitchen was to the far left.  
You registered the depressed state of the place in one or two seconds, your main focus being the android who stood on the opposite side of the table; a defensive position that wouldn’t let you get too close. Ralph seemed unable to keep still as his weight shifted from one foot to the other, hands clasped tightly together in front of his hip where fingers twitched with jerky, mechanical movements.

_Might be something wrong with his circuits…_

His eyes were fixed squarely on you, the brown optic unmoving while the black-blue one flickered with seemingly limited control. The scar across his cheeks seemed to stand out all the more brilliantly in the dim interior backdrop, the blue flares of thirium glowing faintly, with the occasional spark crossing the empty space where facial plates should be. He definitely needed help, which put you right where you needed to be.

“Hi, Ralph… thank you for letting me come in.”

“Hands!” He shouted sharply, jerking his head towards your hands which held your notebook. “Up, up, up. Ralph wants to see what you’re holding. Ralph doesn’t trust you n-not to try… s-something.”

You smiled and nodded, raising your hands either side of your head to clearly show the pad of paper and pen. “See? It’s just so I can take some notes… is that okay?”  
Ralph frowned deeply and stared at the paper for a moment, then back to your face. “Ralph w-will read before you go. N-No secrets, nothing Ralph doesn’t want.”  
“That’s fine.” You nodded, then glanced to the table and chairs. “Would it be alright if I sat down? I can write better that way.”

Ralph’s LED flickered yellow as he followed your eyes to the table, clearly calculating what possible dangers you might pose from the position. Apparently, he decided that it was safe enough, as he nodded and took a step back from the furniture.

“Ralph doesn’t mind that.

“Thank you.”

You kept your movement slow and deliberate as you walked to sit at the table, placing your pad on the wooden surface and gently clasping your hands together on top of it. Ralph had moved further from the table to almost mirror your approach, staring intently at you from the entrance to the kitchen where he hovered nervously beneath the archway.

“Like I said through the door,” you began to explain, “I’m here to try and help you – in whatever ways might make it easier for you to live here in Detroit.” You paused, and when he didn’t say anything, continued. “Some androids are finding it difficult to adjust to the new freedom that being citizens has brought, so I suppose the main thing is for me to ask you what you think you might need…?”

Ralph was silent at your gentle question, save for the faint whirring of his systems and the clicking of his twitching fingers.

“Would it be easier if I made some suggestions, and then you can tell me if you-”

“Ralph d-doesn’t understand.” He interrupted suddenly, an expression caught between distrust and a desperate, fleeting hope on his features. “H-Humans don’t care about Ralph. N-Never have… Humans just hurt him. What m-makes you different?”

“I do care, Ralph. How can I prove to you that I’m genuine?”

Ralph shook his head and looked off to one side, LED flickering once again. He was processing and pondering your question, so you decided to sit and wait. It was a somewhat tense couple of minutes that slowly ticked by as you watched the way he stood. The more you looked, the more concerned you felt.

“R-Ralph can think of one thing.” You blinked, shocked out of your stare by the jerked tone.

“Yes?”

“L-Let Ralph… use these.” His hand briefly reached into the pocket of his worn-out pants, withdrawing something that you couldn’t quite make out. At your squinting, he took a tiny step forward and raised his hand.

_Cable ties?_

You felt an uneasy knot fasten tight in the pit of your stomach. It would be incredibly reckless to agree to something so dangerous; whether Ralph needed help or not, he was unpredictable, and you knew next to nothing about his history. Not to mention the safety protocols that you would be breaking.

“I… don’t think…”

Ralph frowned and shook his head again, jerking his head towards the door. “Then… Then you leave. Ralph d-doesn’t want you to hurt him – doesn’t want to h-hurt you either. But Ralph c-can’t trust you. No. No, no.”

You frowned and sucked in a deep breath, following his glance towards the door as you mulled over your options. Leaving now would more than likely prove everything Ralph believed about you to be true in the android’s eyes. It would suggest that you had something to hide, that you weren’t trustworthy, and he would shut himself out even more…

But equally, being without full movement in the company of an unstable android went against every scrap of common sense in your body. The only security you had was that Ben remained outside, and would probably burst through the door if he heard a commotion from inside, or if you took too long…

With a slow release of breath (an attempt to settle your nerves) you turned back to Ralph and raised your hands. “Alright, I’ll do it. If that’s what it takes for you to relax a little…”

Ralph blinked, seeming to be surprised by your decision. He fidgeted slightly, toying with the plastic ties between his fingers. “H-Hands together, c-crossed. Yes, like that.” You crossed one wrist over the other and watched as he made his cautious approach, looking like a wide-eyed deer walking into the mouth of a tiger. It was such a strange situation to find yourself in, but you reminded yourself that you’d seen worse.

You’d braved red ice drug dens to reach broken individuals before. You’d do it again.

His fingers were smooth against your skin as he worked quickly, wrapping the plastic about both wrists and tightening it – notably not to a degree that it would rub too hard. He was truthful when he said he didn’t want to hurt you. Once fastened, he tugged lightly on the plastic to ensure it wouldn’t give, then took a step back. “D-done. Ralph… will talk to you now.” He slowly sank down into the seat opposite you, staring unblinkingly across the table. It was a little unnerving to be under such scrutiny, but you smiled regardless. Progress was progress.

“Okay… can I ask you some questions about living here?”

Ralph shrugged his shoulders twice, lips slightly pursed. “You can ask, yes.”

“Do you feel safe here, Ralph? There’s a lock on the door, but it doesn’t look very stable… and the windows are all broken…”

He frowned and lowered his gaze to the table, running his fingers across grooves that had been dug into the wood. “Ralph is n-never safe. Humans come here s-sometimes… they write on the walls,” he gestured towards the graffiti, “and th-they use their drugs… Ralph hides when they come.”

You managed to take your pen, moving it a little awkwardly between your tied hands. _Break-ins common. Vandalism and drug use. Reinforce house?_

“Would it help if I could arrange for the house to be fixed up a little?”

“F-Fix Ralph’s house? You would do that? B-But no! No. Ralph doesn’t want anymore humans here.”

“An android, then. Some work in construction, and I’m sure they’d want to help you.”

That seemed to give him pause. He looked slowly around at his bleak surroundings with a deep frown, almost as if he were seeing it for the first time. Perhaps the thought of having it safe and secure had simply never occurred to him before.

“They would… stay outside? Fix from outside?”

“I could try and arrange that, sure.”

The android bit his lower lip for a moment, wrapping his arms around himself to tightly squeeze. “R-Ralph… would like to be safe…” He spoke carefully, disbelief evident in his tone.

“Then that’s what I’ll do. I can’t promise when it will happen, but I’ll do everything I can to make it soon.”

Ralph looked back at you, and this time both eyes were focused. The blue-back optic continue to flicker, but you could just about make out the darker pupil in the centre studying you closely. “You’re n-not like other humans R-Ralph has met… Ralph feels… pleased.” He nodded slowly, and you met his gaze with an easy smile.  
“I’m just glad that I can do something for you. I’m pleased too.”

“Then we’re both p-pleased. Good, this is good.”

“So there’s the house… but I’d also like to ask about you.”

Ralph cocked his head to one side, the artificial bonework in his neck making an audible clicking sound with the movement. “A-Ask about Ralph? H-He isn’t very interesting. No, no. Nothing to say about Ralph.”

“Nothing personal, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want.”

“Ralph wouldn’t anyway.”

You couldn’t quite suppress the small bubble of laughter than burst at that quick, almost feisty response. You cleared your throat quietly and lifted your bound hands to your mouth as Ralph glanced at you with slightly narrowed eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you. Sorry, Ralph.”

“S-Smiles and laughs are… things Ralph hasn’t seen in a long, long, long time.”

You couldn’t quite find the right words to offer after the surprisingly personal revelation. No doubt Ralph didn’t intend for the comment to be especially meaningful, but it spoke volumes about how he saw the world around him. Depressing, bleak, sad.

“Okay… I want to ask about your physical health, or wiring? I’m not sure the right word.” You paused, and as Ralph didn’t speak, continued. “You said when I was outside that you didn’t want anyone to look at you, would you maybe… reconsider that?”

“N-No… Ralph doesn’t want anyone to touch or, or do anything. Ralph is f-functioning. That’s enough.”

You wanted to press the issue, but at that moment a brisk knock came from the front door. Ralph immediately grew tense and was on his feet in seconds, his eyes wide and staring at the door.

“Y/N!? You okay in there?” Ben’s voice filtered through the wood, and you watched Ralph somewhat warily as you called back.

“Yeah, I’m fine Ben! It’s alright.” You lifted both your hands to gesture towards Ralph, trying to get his attention back towards yourself. “Ralph, I should probably go now… is that okay?”

The android continued to stare at the door for several long moments, then turned back to you with a small nod. “R-Ralph will let you go… tell the other human to stay outside.”

“Wait there, I’ll be out in a second!” Ralph walked around the table towards you and bit his lower lip once again, moving to hold your wrists with a tight grip. The other hand moved to the back waistband of his pants and your breath caught in your throat as it withdrew a knife. He’d had that all this time?

_Fucking hell… I need to be more careful…_

“Ralph…”

His gaze flicked from your wrists to your face. “D-Don’t worry. Ralph isn’t going to hurt you… you’ve b-been nice to him.” He slid the blade between your skin at the tie, being careful not to cut as he shed the plastic. “See? Ralph is good.”

You gave an uneasy smile, rubbing your wrists and rising to your feet. “Yes, Ralph… you’re good. Thank you.”

He seemed to perk up slightly at the praise, the right-corner of his lips twitching into an almost-smile.

“You’ll c-come back to see Ralph?”

“I will, hopefully to tell you about sorting your house.” You had walked towards the door during the brief exchange, him shadowing your steps until you stood next to the threshold. “Shall we say in two days? I should have news by then.”

“T-Two days. Forty-eight hours. 2880 minutes. 172800 seconds. R-Ralph will count them.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that, Ralph… I’ll come when I promise, okay?”

“Ralph w-will count anyway.”

Again, you felt the urge to laugh but this time managed to simply smile at the android, who looked away quickly.

“Okay, Ralph… In 172800 seconds, then.” You offered him a small wave, then stepped out of the door. 

It shut immediately behind you, which was what you expected. You let out a deep breath and turned to Ben with a somewhat awkward grin. “Sorry, Ben… um… do you know any android construction places around here?”


	4. Android Assistance // Familiar Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first promise to Ralph is already encountering some problems, but the last thing you want to do is show up empty-handed. It would prove his fears right; that all humans can offer are empty words and closed fists.
> 
> Thankfully Ben Collins has a solution. Enter some familiar faces who give your confidence a little boost.

Most of the next two days was spent on the phone to various android construction companies; there were a surprising number relatively close-by, with many TR400 models using their greater physical strength to carve out a living in the building trade. Some androids viewed working to purpose as an offensive choice that reminded them of the time when they had no choice at all – but most seemed happy enough to do jobs they were good at. You certainly weren’t going to begrudge anyone’s choice.

While there were a few companies to choose from, financing the little renovation project was proving to be more difficult that you’d imagined. Numerous calls to the ASCP headquarters ended with exasperated explanations of Ralph’s situation, with meaningless and vague promises that ‘something would be done’. It was a difficult situation, and you couldn’t stand the thought of returning to Ralph with bad news. It wouldn’t be good for your budding relationship if you broke the first promise you made.

On the afternoon of the second day things were getting desperate. You’d spoken to a very reasonable company over the phone who had agreed a reduced rate owing to the circumstances, but you had to give them something. Your bank account wouldn’t stretch to the amount, and you stared into the empty space of your office as you tried to come up with a solution.

Could androids make money out of thin air? ‘Course not.

A knock on the door jolted you from your musings, and you smiled as Ben poked his face through the threshold. You’d developed a friendship with the rotund officer, who had spared you the terror of reporting to Fowler that you’d gone – alone – into an unknown situation. Sometimes you heard the captain’s shouts from the floor below. You didn’t want any part of that.

“Hey, I figured you’d forget lunch if someone didn’t remind you to come down.”

“Huh? It’s lunch already?” A glance to your watch told you that it was 13:38. Definitely time for a break. With a low groan you pushed yourself to your feet and headed to the door, grinning towards the officer. “Thanks, Ben. I’m just… preoccupied.”

“That house fixer-upper you want to get through?”

“Mm hmm… I don’t know how I’m going to pay for it…”

You spoke as you walked down the hallway towards the lift, pushing the button and waiting for it to arrive.

“Wouldn’t your company handle that?”

“Normally, yeah,” the lift chimed to announce itself and you both stepped inside, “but the system isn’t fully up and running yet, so there could be a delay of at least a couple of weeks… I was stupid to tell Ralph I’d have it sorted in two days.”

Ben clicked his tongue as the lift touched down at the main floor, the ambient noise of a lot more people going about their business humming in the background. “I ain’t no expert on androids, but I reckon someone in that guy’s shoes would just be happy knowin’ that someone was tryin’ to help. You said you’d have news, right? Well… you’ve got news.”

Your lips pursed slightly. Ben wasn’t wrong, but at the same time you’d hoped for a smoother solution. There was also the nagging worry that the ceiling might come down on Ralph at any moment, or a gang could break in and attack him. So many things that could be prevented with just a little bit of work.

“I just wish it didn’t always come down to money. Everyone wants it an no one’s got enough.”  You chuckled quietly as you pressed a couple of buttons on the coffee machine, watching it fill up with a slightly forlorn expression.

“Hey, come on. Don’t look so down, people will be thinkin’ I’m bullyin’ you.” Ben nudged your shoulder slightly, and you smiled in response.

“You’d never bully anyone. You’re like a friendly uncle.”

You both laughed and leaned lightly against the nearby wall as you sipped at your coffee. Ben was acting the stereotype and chewing on a doughnut from a pack on the kitchen counter.

“Seriously, though. Just tell him it’ll be a couple of weeks… you can’t just wave a magic wand on these things.” He offered you a comforting smile.

“Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Ben grinned and clapped a hand on your shoulder, then made a brief goodbye to continue with his own work. It left you alone to think on your next move; going back to the house empty-handed didn’t sit well with you at all, but as Ben said, you couldn’t magically fix a broken building…

You snapped your fingers. “I’m a genius!” You grinned and placed your barely-touched coffee on the side, looking briefly for Ben in the crowd of uniformed officers. “Ben! Can I borrow you for a sec?”

He glanced over and gestured for you to come to him. You did, and hovered by his desk. “Sorry, I just had an idea. I was wondering if I could take a few thirium packs with me to give to Ralph? You know, as a show of good will? Since I can’t fix the house, I can at least do a little something to fix him up?”

Ben blinked in surprise and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t see why not. We’ve got plenty stocked up in the back.” Ever since Markus’s rebellion it had been a requirement for all emergency services to hold provision to helping androids in need. Treating them in the same way as humans (almost) meant a bit of adapting for everyone. “Oh, but you’d need one of the androids to open the storage for you. Part of security, you know?”

You deflated slightly. You hadn’t really spoken to anyone else on the force in your few days there, and the thought of going to someone just for a favour seemed rude somehow. “I get it… I don’t know anyone other than you, though. Should I just… ask someone?”

Ben furrowed his brow and pushed himself from his desk to peer around the room. “Hey, Hank!”

“The fuck you want, Collins!? Doughnuts are in the kitchen, damnit!”

You tried and failed to suppress a small snicker, but Ben merely rolled his eyes as he made his way to the opposite side of the station, beckoning you to follow.

“Already got one.” Ben announced as he reached the right desk, pointing a thumb behind him in your direction. “Anyway, this is-“

“Shit, you’re punchin’ above your weight there. How’d you pull that off?” Hank’s eyes flickered between you and Ben, a small smirk forming on his gruff features.

Your eyes widened slightly and you were quick to shake your head. “Oh, no no. I work here, on the floor above.”

“Sure you do. Y’don’t need to keep it from me, or are you embarrassed?”

“No! I’m not- I mean there’s nothing to-“

Ben spared you your continued stuttering with a firm cough. “She’s part of that android social program we were told about.”

Hank tilted his chair back slightly and folded his arms, eyeing you up and down for a moment. “So you’re not tryin’ to take poor Collins’s innocence from us?”

Again, you found yourself feeling far too embarrassed to mount any kind of offence against such relentless teasing. And again, you were spared stumbling over a reply – this time by a smooth, albeit somewhat amused, voice from over your left shoulder.

“Maybe you should stop tormenting her. We can’t all appreciate your sense of humour, Hank.”

You glanced back and immediately recognised the android approaching your little group. The RK800 needed no introductions as his face had been plastered across most Detroit media outlets alongside Markus’s during the rebellion; one of the key figures in the uprising, Connor was all smiles as he stopped beside the desk.

“C’mon, Connor, don’t sass me in front of the new girl.” Hank huffed and waved a hand in your direction in a token of surrender. “Whatever. What did you an’ Ben want?”

Ben offered you a pointed look and nodded his head towards the android before speaking to Hank. “I was actually gonna ask if you knew where Connor was, so it works out.”

“Eh? We’re not joined at the fuckin’ hip, Ben.”

“Course not.” Ben grinned, then clapped your shoulder with a warming sense of camaraderie. “I’ll leave you to it, you can explain your job better than me… Jimmy’s later, Hank?”

“Sure, sure.”

Then you were left alone, and a slightly awkward silence settled for a moment – the kind that occurs naturally when a stranger is thrown between friends. It was… _very_ awkward, and you weren’t sure how to broach the subject when Connor spoke up instead.

“You were looking for me? I don’t think we’ve met…”

Thank God for the ice breaker.

“Oh, no. I’m Y/N, here with the ASCP.”

“The Android Social Care Program, yes. I’m glad that we finally have a representative in Detroit.” His smile brightened slightly as he offered a hand. “My name is Connor,” you shook it, feeling just a little bit giddy at seeing someone from the television, “and this is Lieutenant Anderson.”

A small grunt of acknowledgement met the introduction, and you did your part to smile at the pair. “It’s nice to meet you, sorry to burst in on you like this.”

“Not at all. The lieutenant was just finished a report, _right_ Hank?” A subtly pointed nudge that had the man grumbling and returning to his computer. “Still, what can I help you with?”

“Oh, yes. I was hoping you could let me into the thirium stores? Detective Collins mentioned that only androids have access…” You took a few minutes to briefly explain your situation; the desire to help Ralph and the offering of something more concrete than words.

Connor furrowed his brow for a moment, the LED circling a calm blue for a moment before he nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem, I’d say this constitutes as fair use. I’ll take you to it.”

“Thank you, erm… Detective?”

“Please, call me Connor.”

You followed him down the left-hand path towards a series of glass doors, passing through a security check which Connor politely held open for you. A smaller entrance was set off to the side with a hand-shaped panel glowing a faint blue beside the door. Connor lifted a hand and let the artificial skin peel away to let him interface with the locking mechanism.

As he gestured for you to step inside you voiced a question that had been on your mind since you’d learned about the security. “Why is it that only androids can access the stores?”

Connor replied after a brief pause, examining the nearby shelves which were filled with smooth, white crates. “While the law has changed to allow androids freedom and dignity… not everyone is happy with the arrangement. There are some anti-android groups who would see these emergency stores taken and destroyed. It’s purely a precautionary measure.” He took a box down from the shelf. “What model is your client?”

“Oh… I see…” You frowned. It was true that changing legislation was only the start of an overall shift in society, but even so it was a difficult pill to swallow that some humans would resort to robbing emergency services. “Sorry, he’s a WR600.”

“It bothers you.” Connor stated, his observational skills sharp as ever. “Please, don’t feel any negativity over this. You’re part of a program specifically designed to help this difficult integration process.” He withdrew a modestly-sized case that you guessed would hold a dozen thirium packs, offering it to you. “You call this android 'he' without thought, and are going to great lengths to help him… I hope that your efforts are productive.”

A small smile came to your features as you thought back to your meeting with Ralph. He was like night and day compared to Connor, and you felt a sigh pass between your lips before you could catch it.

“Thanks, Connor. I’ll try to keep my chin up.” You nodded as you took the crate by the handle.

“Good. Please let me know if I can help in future.”

“I will. Thanks again.”

You felt like a weight had been lifted somehow as you left the store room; acknowledgement from the RK800 was a hefty endorsement, and the task ahead of you didn’t seem quite as impossible.

You _would_ help Ralph. There wasn’t a doubt in your mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that Ralph isn't in this chapter - the next one will be all him!
> 
> I just couldn't resist including Hank and Connor. I hope you enjoyed this chapter~


End file.
